Places You Should (and Shouldn’t) Store Your Beauty Products!
Sometimes it’s hard to store your skincare and makeup products where you should be storing them!
You carry them in your purse, they travel with you when you’re on vacation, and you leave them lying all over the bathroom counter! Yep, guilty as charged!
However, if you want to ensure your beauty products last longer and don’t disintegrate rapidly, it’s time you clean out your your purse & luggage, and round up the items from your bathroom counter and start sorting this mess!
Places to Avoid Storing Your Beauty Products
These are the Golden Rules:
Avoid direct sunlight – This is very important to note because the sun’s UV rays + heat will cause the active ingredients in your beauty products to deteriorate more rapidly and lessen their effectiveness.
Avoid damp areas – Bacteria thrives in moist environments. It is best practice to keep makeup, skincare, and beauty accessories out of your bathroom where they are more likely to become damaged by moisture and/or contaminated with germs.
Avoid extreme temperatures – Both frigid and hot environments can damage beauty products. Certain cosmetic formulations can become unstable if frozen and then thawed again. Ensure that you store your products in an area where the temperature does not fluctuate too drastically and/or too often.
How and Where to Store Your Beauty Products
Dark – A dark location is the ideal place to store your beauty products. Darkness keeps the active ingredients stable and lengthens the product’s shelf life.
Dry – A dry space is the ideal area to store beauty products & paraphernalia. Dry conditions make it harder for bacteria to breed.
Cool – A cool environment is the ideal climate to store all your beauty products. This ensures the active ingredients remain potent and that the product maintains its original form (consistency, shape, color, etc.)
Storing Different Types of Beauty Products
Skincare: Cleanser, Toner, Face Cream, Mask, and Serum
Store Out of Direct Sunlight + in a Cool Place:
Cleanser, Toner, Face Cream, Mask, Oil Based Serums, Face Oils
Most skincare products can just be stored in a cool place, out of direct sunlight.
Refrigerate:
Skincare Containing: Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) , DHA (omega-3 fatty acid), Retinoids, Benzoyl Peroxide, Live Cultures, 100% Organic Ingredients
If your skincare product(s) contain(s) any of these ingredients listed above, special care must be taken to ensure they will retain their potency and shelf life. These ingredients are unstable and sensitive to fluctuation in temperatures. It is best to refrigerate skincare products that contain such ingredients to guarantee they will remain effective and last as long as they are intended to.
Products Containing SPF
Store Out of Direct Sunlight + in a Cool Place:
Products containing SPF are extremely sensitive to sunlight. The SPF in sunscreens or moisturizers may start breaking down and separating if left out in direct sunlight. If you use a product that has started to separate, the application will be uneven and you won’t be fully protected from the sun’s rays.
Liquid Foundation
Store Out of Direct Sunlight + in a Cool Place:
Liquid foundations should be sealed tightly to prevent air from getting inside. A cool space will slow down the breakdown of the ingredients and your product will last longer. Avoid direct sunlight, especially if your foundation contains SPF; you don’t want the sunscreen to start separating. If the formula starts separating, you won’t get even protection!
Powdered Products
Store Out of Direct Sunlight + in a Dry Space:
Powders are best to stay out of the sun. Certain pigments can start breaking down and colors can fade if left out on your window sill. Keep your mineral powders foundations, eyeshadows, etc. in a dry space to avoid moisture damage, and bacteria & mold growth.
Lipstick and Lip Gloss
Store in a Cool Place:
Lipsticks and lip glosses should be kept in a cool area. Lipsticks can easily melt and lip gloss formulas may change color or start separating if they are stored in hot places.
Perfumes and Fragrances
Store Out of Direct Sunlight, Refrigeration Optional:
Fine fragrances are volatile and break down rapidly, especially in fluctuating temperatures. Keeping your perfumes in a cool dark place allows you to control the environment and prevent deterioration. Refrigeration isn’t necessary, but doing so can prevent the fragrance from shifting and also lengthen its shelf life.